Horrible first year GPA...really need advice and study tips

if I take calc again at michigan it wont replace my previous grades it will just add on to my gpa

i realize that a poor performance in calc for engineering is useless because of how much it is used in the future, but it wasn’t that I was not a strong math student. Calc 1 and 2 came easily for me and even on the SAT i scored perfectly on the math section, so I thought that math would not be the place I would struggle so much in. I am also biomedical engineering so this would have been the last math class I would have had to take (now i have to repeat it). I am deciding whether I should think about switching out of engineering. I really like engineering, but if my calc grades prove otherwise than am i just fooling myself? I really want other study tips that I can use as a plan for next year because I do not want to leave Michigan.

You may have to take Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer and other mechanical engineering related classes in future. All these classes will use differential equation and other math concepts. So it is not useless. Biomedical Engineering is much closer to mechanical engineering compared to other branches.

“I really want other study tips that I can use as a plan for next year because I do not want to leave Michigan.”

I think that I would suggest three things:

  • Catch up on the part of Calculus that you had trouble with (as already discussed). I would pretty much dedicate the summer to this.
  • Top universities (such as Michigan and MIT) are often a wake up call for smart students. In high school very often someone who is good at math and science can pretty much just coast along, pay moderate attention in class, and do very well. In high school if you fall behind in math or science it might not take much effort to catch up. At a top university such as Michigan you need to in a sense "respect" the class more. It is important to keep up with the class, and keep ahead as much as possible. Thus at least try to do your homework the day that it is assigned. Get ahead in the reading. Then when you arrive at the next class you have an easier time understanding it and you pick up a bit more. Thus my number two suggestion is something that I suspect that you already have gotten, which is to understand that this is harder than high school and you need to work hard throughout the entire semester and keep ahead.
  • Finally, if you do both of the above, then don't worry about your first year. You should be able to keep up and manage some combination of mostly A's and B's. If you get A's and B's, and just a few C's, then you will graduate in three years and you will no longer be an average student, instead you will be an engineer with a degree from the University of Michigan, one of the top engineering schools in the world.

To be honest, if you get those kind of grades, you can be in real trouble trying to continue in engineering. Many of the courses you listed are meant to weed people out of the College of Engineering altogether. Then you are going to have to deal with courses meant to weed people out of specific engineering majors, and then again out of specialties within a major. The weeding just never stops, and as people drop out, the grade distribution doesn’t get better by that much. Your classes are only going to get harder.

@MaryGJ

“Guess what you call a UMich engineer student who graduates with a 2.34GPA?”

Unemployed. A lot of companies have a minimum GPA policy of a 3.0. If the company takes steps to verify your GPA, then you are screwed.

You can also call him/her not competitive for graduate school.

“You call him an Engineeer. Who got his education at the FIFTH BEST ENGINEERING PROGRAM IN THE NATION.”

A 2.34 GPA is bad, regardless of the school.

“GPA means NOTHING at this point. Completing your program at a good school is what goes on your resume…not your GPA.”

His/her GPA actually does matter at this point. Sophomore Engineering students should apply to internships. Again, he/she is going to have a tough time getting hired when companies see that GPA.

Additionally, if you don’t list your GPA on your resume:

  1. That may come off as a red flag that it is bad
  2. The recruiter will probably ask for it

@jmtennis

I don’t think IOE undergrad involves much calculus. I can only think of a couple instances where it showed up in a required class. It also showed up for me in an optional class.

As an old UMich engineering grad and parent of a current student majoring in a STEM field, I believe I have some worthy advice for the OP.

A 2.34 after your first year is not great, but certainly not the end of the world. If you didn’t go to Michigan, you might not understand this. It does not mean that you did not work hard or that you can’t be successful at Michigan–or as an engineer. In fact, many first year students (especially in engineering and STEM fields) end up in a similar situation after their first year at Michigan. Poor or mediocre first-year grades are often the result of students coming to the University and taking more advanced courses than they should based on their advising reports or the AP classes they took in high school. Stepping into traditionally second-year Michigan math classes in your first year is extremely difficult except for the most gifted math students (not the same as public school “gifted”). The competition in second-year classes includes math majors, second-year engineers and STEM majors, all who excel to some degree at math and have made it through the rigor of the first-year classes. Most have had the benefit of taking their first year of math at Michigan and understand how Michigan teaches math and how to compete in an environment where a B/B- curve leaves over 25 percent of talented, dedicated students in the C+ or lower grade range. Many engineers have to take a math, chemistry or physics class over and do not drop out of engineering. For grades below a C-, it is an engineering requirement to take the class over and you should do so not only to improve your GPA, but to have the same baseline understanding of the material as your peers. Outside of academia, you will find that most engineers use their upper level math very little in practice and minimally in upper level engineering classes. In my opinion, you would have been better served by starting the math sequence at a lower level, even if some of the material was repetitious. You would have been better prepared to compete in the second-year classes.

Orgo is another class that it is difficult to take as a first-semester student. Most of the engineers take Chem 130 and are competing with their peers who may or may not be prepared or good at chemistry. My guess is you would have been more successful in 130. Taking Orgo is challenging for some based on the way it is taught at Michigan (problem sets with no answer keys and the need for a study group work). The pre-med cohort at Michigan is extremely competitive and it is difficult for first-semester students who are not as committed to chemistry or grades to do well.

A B- in physics is a middle of the pack grade for a class that is primarily taken by first-year engineers. Sure, a higher grade would be better. But, you weren’t weeded out and it gives you an idea of the level of effort needed to compete with your peer group.

Don’t worry about the B- in Psych. Not great, but many engineers seem to be challenged by the humanities and social sciences and often fall short in classes where reading and writing are a major focus. Classes that are GPA boosters for LSA students can be perilous for engineers.

While it may seem like I am helping you apologize for your grades, I hope that I have provided some context to the academic rigor at Michigan and the level of competition in the engineering school and the student body as a whole. All of the students at Michigan are talented (in some way) and many enter the University very well prepared. Successful completion of AP work in high school is not the same as taking the class at Michigan. A 3.8 GPA in high school is slightly below the average of your peer group at Michigan. At Michigan you may just well be an average student–which is okay. As time goes on, the benefits of high school preparation wear off and the playing field in the engineering school is leveled. However, competition for grades will always be there and you may need to work harder than your peers to get the grades you desire. You have plenty of time to get your GPA up to a “respectable” level (whatever that means for you and your family). While a higher GPA may open the doors for some internships, first-job interviews and grad school immediately following undergrad, it will not preclude you from any of these. Completing your engineering degree at Michigan is a worthy endeavor that will provide you with many opportunities throughout your life and career.

I have experienced the challenges of Michigan and the engineering school and as a father of a student who just finished their second year (taking math, chemistry and physics), I understand what you are going through. In my opinion, first semester of second year is going to be the hardest–the newness has worn off, it seems like a long way to finish your degree and you really aren’t yet focused on your major. Be prepared for this and have a plan ready to boost your grades next year despite the challenges. Set a realistic final GPA goal and an ambitious one for next semester that can help get you there. While there will never be enough time to do everything in your classes, try to learn the material the first time through as if it is going to be on the final, and prepare for tests, quizzes and assignments as if you need to get 100% (it’s not going to happen often-but it will improve your grades). When you study, be honest with yourself–Do you really understand the concept? Create a study routine and stick to it. Competition at Michigan is fierce (but generally in a way that makes students perform at a very high level regardless of the class). You may need to work a lot harder than other students to get the same grade. Figure out what you need to do to achieve your academic goals, commit to a plan and do the work to get it done. I hope this helps!

Remember, “Those who stay will be champions!” Good luck and GO BLUE!

@jmtennis

I hope I wasn’t too mean in my first post.

It is not the end of the world that you finished with a 2.34 GPA. Nonetheless, you definitely want to improve it. People in this forum have already provided plenty of good insight that may help you.

Hey,

I totally understand what you’re going through. Freshman year was also tough for me and I didn’t do as great as I thought. One thing I learned is to review. When you go to class, keep yourself focused as much as possible. Don’t get distracted and follow what your teacher is teaching(it takes a lot of effort to do this, especially for those 8ams, but it helped me a tonne). This way, you get the generally idea of the concept and can gauge how difficult it is for you. Then, go home at night and review your notes. Go through and see if you can understand it again. If you don’t, make a comment about it and either email your prof or go to OH for your question. This way, you cannot fall behind.

If you like reading, read the text before going to class. If you don’t, don’t worry because you can still do well, provided you talk to your prof.

Also, perhaps find other people to study with. I generally study alone because I get distracted easily and don’t like having a lot of people around me when I study. But for my hard class(EECS 281!!), I found a study group and it was really helpful.

As for your current grades, don’t worry, it’s freshman year and during your interview, you could explain how it was tough adjusting to college(which is common thing). But I would also advises studying the math courses and orgo on your own. Umich has a weird math dept(it’s not bad but a lot of people complain about the teaching) and orgo is a class they purposefully make harder than it needs to be. So tell your parents to give you that third change and study!!

Good luck and Go Blue!